People smugglers jailed for trying to bring seven migrants into UK

People smugglers who tried to illegally bring seven Indian migrants into the UK in the boot of two cars are jailed for more than six years

  • Palvinder Singh Phull, 48, and Harjit Singh Dhaliwal, 45, were both arrested

Two British men who tried to illegally bring seven Indian migrants into the UK through the boots of two cars have been jailed for more than six years. 

Palvinder Singh Phull, 48, from Hounslow, was stopped at the UK border in Dover on July 8, 2018, when officials found three Indian nationals claiming to be Afghan Sikhs in the boot of his hire car.

He then received a three and a half year prison sentence for assisting unlawful immigration. 

Four days after Mr Phull was arrested, his co-accused, Harjit Singh Dhaliwal, 45, from Middlesex, was stopped at the UK border and four Indian nationals also claiming to be Afghan Sikhs were found hiding in the boot of his car.

He was jailed for three years and two months, also for assisting unlawful immigration. 

A look at the Indian migrants who attempted to be smuggled into the UK through the boot of a car

Palvinder Singh Phull, 48, from Hounslow, received a three and a half year prison sentence for assisting unlawful immigration

Harjit Singh Dhaliwal, 45, from Middlesex, was jailed for three years and two months, also for assisting unlawful immigration

Following an investigation by the Home Office Criminal and Financial Investigations (CFI) unit, the suspects were found to be linked via mobile phone records.

The sentencing took place at Canterbury Crown Court where the defendants both pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration.

Chris Foster, Deputy Director of Criminal and Financial Investigations at the Home Office, said: ‘Today’s sentencing sends a clear message to those abusing our laws and borders: we will stop at nothing to bring to justice anyone attempting to smuggle people into the UK.

‘I would like to pay tribute to the hard work of my team, and their tireless efforts to tackle this type of crime. 

We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to disrupt people smuggling gangs and make sure those who break our laws face the consequences.’

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